The general reason is that its mostly a half-way piece to compensate for not swapping. You melee better idling in a hauby, and get better hate on spells/abilities in something like an IR Haubert. The -5% magic is very minimal for most fights in the game, and you can get something like a coral harness +1 for way cheaper and just swap it on before a spell/attack hits you.

The best stat on the avalon is the mind for a chivalry/stoneskin set, and most people just use the 4 mind from adaman body and stay happy with it.

You don't hear about it because most people who post on this forum are either new to the job or deep enough into it to (a) know that Avalon is not worth 5m and (b) spend so much time macroing gear in and out that (a) is even more true... and because most people in-game drool all over it because it looks cool/unique, has a bunch of stats that they think are useful for idling, and don't really know anything about PLD.

However, if you wanted to full-time something (why?), then yes, it'd be better for that than any of the other options you listed.

As mentioned by both of the above posters, 5 mil is way too high of a price tag for a second best piece for the three categories it really helps in. Hauby +1 is probably the PLD's best TP piece with side grades of this, Ares, and a few other pieces I know I'm forgetting. The only thing it shines as is as a MDT piece, but Iron Ram Hauberk has MDB (not the same thing, but still helpful) and Coral Scalemail has a lower MDT rating. Both of those are MUCH cheaper (and you'll want the IR for enmity, anyway).

If it were the same price as a Hauby, I probably would have bought it. And this is coming from a guy who earned at least 1 mil a week from repeatedly farming avatars (yes, I had enough accounts to make it worthwhile). Hauby is only down 1 accuracy from it but has attack AND accuracy, so the PLD will hit for more than 0 more often. And the +1 is just THAT much better.

If all you do is HNMs than having one would be a good investment, however if you are in an HNM shell, than chances are you will (A: already have one (B: have access to getting one or (C: get a better discount vs buying from someone else. So outside of HNMs, you are really better off with a hauby+1 and swapping in IR Huaberk for taking magic.

Have to remember when this came out, there wasnt no ACP body nor Iron ram, so it was a very nice piece to have. Now its just expensive vs whats already available.(*whispers* though I wouldnt mind it going back up to 9mil so I can sell mine)

It seems like a great Hybrid piece for overall stats but as was said its for people that don't wanna swap better gear in. i think its down to 3 mil on bahamut now but still way too high for its application.

On a side note its one of the best /dnc pieces we can get. 7 vit 7 chr is a decent boost to waltz and the 13 acc boost for tp gain and landing steps. but still not worth the price tag.

And on a side note what about that Corselt? seems like a half assed attempt at a semi melee/MACCatk boost armor. I can see an OK aplication for drks but its pretty fail for pld unless the resist silence is 100% lol. A +1 would have a decent tp application but your still out 2 acc 2 atk and 5 str/dex of a hauby.

along with the Assault Breastplate,I think they are just really cool looking

____________________________

Nihcru @ Bahamut PLD 75 /Salute... The sword held high with virtue and might, A Shield in hand protecting what's right, Through Darkest night may valor shine bright, May Goddess Altana bless you with her light.

On a side note its one of the best /dnc pieces we can get. 7 vit 7 chr is a decent boost to waltz and the 13 acc boost for tp gain and landing steps. but still not worth the price tag.

And on a side note what about that Corselet?

You wouldn't have to waltz and TP in the same thing, so the accuracy alone doesn't win it any favors for /dnc. I guess your ideal waltz body would be Koenig/Kaiser, which also fit the recurring theme of looking nicer than their more functional counterparts.

Regarding Corselet +1, I was almost ready to assume that being a HQ of a 100 synth with Star Sapphire on the ingredient list would be a safe bet that none exist at all. FFXIAH proves me wrong, and there seems to be exactly one kicking around Ragnarok as of 2-3 years ago. Even if you thought the Resist Silence actually worked, I'd still suggest several much better uses for that money involving a Hauby, a Mog Satchel full of Echo drops, and possibly hiring a White Mage to follow you around casting Silena.

Why would Haub +1 be for PLD only? It's an awesome TP piece for SAM, DRK, WAR... Everyone who can wear it. It's beat out for WS's, sure, but you mostly want another piece for WS's, anyway.

Avalon's MDT- only matters on mobs that have spells. If you're not taking magic damage, it loses the only bright spot it has. There are very few mobs I idle in MDT- - when I needed it, I macro'd it in, just like everything else.

Pretty sure he meant that as PLD is the only job he has that he could use a Haub +1 on.

Not sure what mobs the OP plans on tanking, but just about every HNM will hit you with magical dmg that go right through Shadows. 5% may not seem like too big a deal, but it can absolutely make the difference in an emergency, and you arent giving up too much else to idle in this body, as the acc+ still helps with atonement (although not as much as acc/atk from haub+1).

Not sure what mobs the OP plans on tanking, but just about every HNM will hit you with magical dmg that go right through Shadows. 5% may not seem like too big a deal, but it can absolutely make the difference in an emergency...

Agreed, 100%. In addition, MDT > MDEF for protecting yourself from damage. If you don't have Aegis' 25% (which basically takes you to MDT cap combined with a WHM's Shell V), and you aren't swapping in Iron Ram Lance (such as in preparation for a Citadel Buster), then you are going to get more out of this than I.R. Body (as far as I know). I stick with Avalon + Askar boots over I.R. Body/Boots. In the meanwhile, I take 9% less damage just in my TP build for Atonement, and that makes me happy because things slip through or wipe shadows vs HNM's all the time. It's the same reason I TP in Shadow Mantle, macroing it out for certain actions only (I can't predict when it will be needed but as a result of using it, I have a library of screenshots of HNM TP moves hitting me for 0 that proves the value).

I think Avalon is the only way to "keep your seatbelt on", if you catch my drift, without giving up a TP piece that actually has value.

Having done very few HNMs (not my scene), I never idled in MDT gear. I macro'd for it (including Suzy's CS), but there's very few things that I really felt the need to idle in my MDT. I did have a Merman's harness, and that was more useful to me (cost wise) than Avalon and got the same effect.

Again, I'm saying that on mobs that you aren't as worried about the stray magic damage, what good are you getting out of Avalon that you wouldn't get out of a Hauby? And, since I had a Hauby +1, for me, it was a no-brainer.

Even Ultima, I stayed clear of the MDT except when a) I was putting shadows back up (shield gear and PDT/MDT, depending on mob) or b) I saw the big move coming. There's a time to idle in MDT (mob specific) and there's times to macro into it. That's all I'm saying. And, 5 mil for a couple extra % isn't going to break someone's bank. I still view this as a luxury piece, not a "must have".

Avalon is significantly better to idle in then Hauby+1, especially when you consider that I don't have Atonement (however, even if I did/when I get it I'll still idle in Avalaon, the few points of Acc aren't THAT significant).

I tank almost nothing the MDT-% isn't significant on.

Also - if you're gonna rate me down (lol), don't be a gigantic @#%^. Come out and play nubs.

I think you're underrating a Hauby+1 and overrating an Avalon.

The few points of ACC aren't really the main draw of the Hauby+1 (Over an Avalon), it's the giant Attack boost, along with the STR to up your fSTR, to keep you from hitting for 0's. (Since, as you said, you're tanking HNMs, where not hitting for 0's is much harder than easier targets like Sky Gods and Limbus bosses).

Now I'll be the first to say, if your concern is staying alive and you're facing an onslaught of magic damage, obviously use the Avalon, but don't try to justify it being a better DD piece, the math says otherwise.

Personally, I idle in Ares's Cuirass unless I don't need the benefit of the Refresh, then I'll use a Hauby +1.

I don't own an Avalon because I can't justify spending 5-6m for a piece that will only give me the benefit of -5% MDT, when I can already cap MDT on anything that I need to. (And, IR body is free, and gives as very similar amount of damage mitigation).

If Avalon was free, I'd probably use it for a MDT setup, but for 5m I can buy a lot of things that offer me a greater return on my investment.

I don't own an Avalon because I can't justify spending 5-6m for a piece that will only give me the benefit of -5% MDT, when I can already cap MDT on anything that I need to. (And, IR body is free, and gives as very similar amount of damage mitigation).

A thousand times this. And this is coming from a guy who had his Hauby +1 at 60.